Will the Ukraine War turn into World War III?

[SnowLabrador]

I think it will. If Russia wins, they will not be satisfied with just Ukraine, and will eventually move further into Europe. If Ukraine starts to win, they'll begin bombing European cities. (We've already seen this; whenever Russia suffers a setback on the battlefield, they attack civilians out of frustration.) Ukraine cannot win without NATO declaring war on Russia (I'm not saying they should), but if they do, Russia will attack NATO territory and it'll be World War III.

Please talk me down from the ledge and convince me there's any way this war doesn't escalate into World War III or even a nuclear war.

[CumbrianLefty]

How many times have you done this one now?

And, indeed, had the actual reality patiently explained to you??

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Well, this is on brand...

[MaxQue]

If that was to happen, it would have happen already.

[Meclazine for Israel]

I'm going with no.

This doesn't qualify as WW3.

Just another 3-6 year war near the border of Russia.

Korea
Vietnam
Afghanistan (Russia)
Bosnia
Iraq I
Iraq II
Afghanistan (US led coalition)
Ukraine

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

I think it will. If Russia wins, they will not be satisfied with just Ukraine, and will eventually move further into Europe. If Ukraine starts to win, they'll begin bombing European cities. (We've already seen this; whenever Russia suffers a setback on the battlefield, they attack civilians out of frustration.) Ukraine cannot win without NATO declaring war on Russia (I'm not saying they should), but if they do, Russia will attack NATO territory and it'll be World War III.

Please talk me down from the ledge and convince me there's any way this war doesn't escalate into World War III or even a nuclear war.

Ukraine is winning. Why aren't they firebombing Warsaw?

[HillGoose]

World War III already happened, it was called the Cold War, and America won that one too.

Even if NATO got into a hot war with Russia it would only be another theater of World War IV, which has been going on since the terrorists struck our homeland on 9/11. If the Russki govt isn't with the free world, they're with the terrorists.

I think it is unlikely Putin will be stupid enough to get NATO involved, he does not want to end up like Saddam, Bin Laden, and Gaddafi, but if he messes with the free world that's exactly what will happen, he will go down on the ash heap of history just like the other tyrants.

[morgieb]

This is a SnowLabrador threaf

[WD]

Go outside

[Meclazine for Israel]

World War III already happened, it was called the Cold War, and America won that one too.

You can't have a World War without Australians in it.

Think of the Grand Slam Tennis tournaments.

They must include

Australia
France
England
United States

This guy nearly started WW3:
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/20/asia/korean-war-fighter-pilot-soviet-shootdown-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

[MATTROSE94]

I agree with Snowlaborador. I am thinking that Russia will conquer Ukraine in a few months due to mass conscription and defense production buildups and then start to set its sites on other European countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Estonia. Once that happens, then NATO will get involved and Putin will respond with crippling force against all NATO members.

[CumbrianLefty]

I agree with Snowlaborador

You shock us.

[Former Dean Phillips Supporters for Haley (I guess???!?) 👁️]

It depends on whether Vladimir Putin is suicidal. So far he has shown no signs of being suicidal, and instead appears to be a rational actor (albeit one who had some very very mistaken assumptions about Ukraine and a crazy far right nationalist ideology).

It also depends on whether all the people around Putin which would be involved in any use of nuclear weapons would prefer certain death at the hands of NATO by fire/radiation/assassination, or if they would prefer to try to stop him and instead take the significant chance of possible death at the hands of Vladimir Putin for disobeying (if they are unsuccessful). It is harder to say what those people would do. There have been no signs that they are willing to disobey him on anything else, but if push came to shove this is the place where that might be different.

[SnowLabrador]

I think it will. If Russia wins, they will not be satisfied with just Ukraine, and will eventually move further into Europe. If Ukraine starts to win, they'll begin bombing European cities. (We've already seen this; whenever Russia suffers a setback on the battlefield, they attack civilians out of frustration.) Ukraine cannot win without NATO declaring war on Russia (I'm not saying they should), but if they do, Russia will attack NATO territory and it'll be World War III.

Please talk me down from the ledge and convince me there's any way this war doesn't escalate into World War III or even a nuclear war.

Ukraine is winning. Why aren't they firebombing Warsaw?

Because Poland is in NATO. And Ukraine isn't winning, they're losing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And Ukraine isn't winning, they're losing.

Please explain, and I do mean explain; assertion will not do, why you believe this the case. Try to be as clear as possible and ideally show your reasoning.

[SnowLabrador]

And Ukraine isn't winning, they're losing.

Please explain, and I do mean explain; assertion will not do, why you believe this the case. Try to be as clear as possible and ideally show your reasoning.

Russia keeps taking towns, and it seems like Western Europe's willingness to aid Ukraine is decreasing. I think we'd better get ready for WWIII.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Russia keeps taking towns,

Have you ever seen a map showing the position of the frontline in the war after a couple of weeks and one showing it today?

and it seems like Western Europe's willingness to aid Ukraine is decreasing.

Actually the very opposite is the case and the arguments now concern things that no one was willing to seriously contemplate supplying even a few months ago.

A very poor effort.

[Hindsight was 2020]

And Ukraine isn't winning, they're losing.

Please explain, and I do mean explain; assertion will not do, why you believe this the case. Try to be as clear as possible and ideally show your reasoning.

Russia keeps taking towns, and it seems like Western Europe's willingness to aid Ukraine is decreasing. I think we'd better get ready for WWIII.

Citation desperately needed

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

And Ukraine isn't winning, they're losing.

Please explain, and I do mean explain; assertion will not do, why you believe this the case. Try to be as clear as possible and ideally show your reasoning.

Russia keeps taking towns, and it seems like Western Europe's willingness to aid Ukraine is decreasing. I think we'd better get ready for WWIII.

This is actually a good time to talk about expectations for Ukraine. In an Atlas poll on the eve of the invasion, just 7 of 167 voters said Ukraine would militarily win. That's less than the 9 who voted for WWIII, btw.

[Skill and Chance]

It's possible, but the escalation factor wouldn't be Putin suddenly bombing European NATO cities, it would be China deciding this was the time to go for Taiwan because they believe the US-led coalition wouldn't have the capacity or political will to supply both Taiwan and Ukraine with heavy weapons at the same time.

[Middle-aged Europe]